Admirals Trade For A Defenseman

The Hampton Roads Admirals took a major step toward beefing up their blue line on Thursday afternoon, when they traded team captain David Buckley to the Knoxville Cherokees for Rick Boyd.

Hampton Roads thus swaps defenseman for defenseman. What the Admirals lose in leadership with Buckley, they gain in aggression with Boyd. Buckley was not noted for taking the body. Boyd is.

``We lost quite a bit,'' Admirals coach John Brophy said. ``We're also getting a lot back. He was a captain last year in Johnstown. He's got good presence in the dressing room. And certainly a very good presence on the ice.''

As a captain last year with the Johnstown Chiefs, Boyd scored five goals and 12 assists in 45 games. He also picked up 284 minutes in penalties, second-highest total in the East Coast Hockey League.

Through 26 games this year with Johnstown, Boyd produced five goals, 10 assists and 128 minutes in penalties.

``I just felt that the physical part of the game was not where we wanted it to be,'' Brophy said.

Many of the Admirals' top scorers, like Harry Mews and Brian Martin, have seemed to be targets for the opposition's strong men in recent weeks.

Brophy is hoping that Boyd will help end the targeting.

``It happened again last night,'' Brophy said. ``Other teams are going after our better players. We'd also like to get the physical part of the game back on the blue line.''

Due to a manpower shortage in Knoxville, the Cherokees picked up Boyd from Johnstown for future considerations and played in one game. The move was actually the first step in a three-team deal involving the Louisville IceHawks, who expressed an interest in acquiring Buckley's services. Knoxville acted as an intermediary, sending Boyd over to Hampton Roads for Buckley and then sending Buckley to Louisville.

Buckley, a Boston College graduate, played in 89 games over two seasons with the Admirals, accumulating 11 goals and 42 assists. He had five goals, 13 assists, and 26 penalty minutes in 32 games this year.

In other club news, defenseman John East will be back in the lineup tonight against Cincinnati after a two-week absence due to a knee injury. Forward Pat Cavanagh has been placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

ADMIRALS VS. CYCLONES

WHAT: East Coast Hockey League.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. at Scope, Norfolk.

TICKETS: $6.50 and $5.50.

RADIO: WTAR-790 (AM).

SEASON SERIES: Tied, 1-1-1.

GAME DATA: The Cyclones are the hottest team in the league, going 10-1-1 in their last 12 games, not including Thursday night's game against Richmond. Tonight's game is the second of a three-game in three-day stretch for Cincinnati. The Cyclones are led by Steve Cadieux (31g-28a-59pts) and Chris Marshall (18-32-50). Either Wayne Cowley or ex-Admiral Scott Luce, who is 3-0-0 since Hampton Roads released him, will start in goal. The Admirals will likely counter with Olaf Kolzig. Defenseman John East returns to the Admirals lineup tonight after spending two weeks on injured reserve with a knee injury. Forward Pat Cavanagh has been placed on IR with a shoulder injury. Ex-Admiral Don Gagne is currently on the Cyclones' IR list.